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Greenville Triumph SC earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over One Knoxville SC on Saturday at Furman’s Paladin Stadium, advancing the club to the USL League One Playoff Semifinals next weekend. Goals from Evan Lee and the league’s top scorer in the regular season, Lyam MacKinnon, lifted Greenville to victory in the first match of its sixth straight playoff appearance. Triumph SC will travel to Omaha or host Richmond next weekend depending on the outcome of tomorrow’s quarterfinal.
Golden glove who?
2-1 | #GVLvKNX | #USLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/lCrB9FotYw
— Greenville Triumph SC (@GVLTriumph) November 2, 2024
The playoff game opened with high intensity, as Greenville’s defense, led by Gunther Rankenburg, staved off early pressure. Rankenburg’s vital one-on-one stop in the 16th minute kept the score locked at 0-0 after a rare Triumph miscue, setting the tone for a competitive first half. Greenville soon found a breakthrough in the 19th minute, with a well-coordinated play between sixth-year Triumph players Tyler Polak and Evan Lee. Polak delivered a pinpoint cross to Lee, who converted with a powerful header for his first playoff goal, giving Greenville the early lead. Late in the first half, Greenville faced a difficult setback after standout midfielder Chapa Herrera was forced to leave the match after suffering an arm injury following a violent midair clash at midfield.
🎥 Goals from Lyam MacKinnon and Evan Lee give @GVLTriumph their 𝙁𝙄𝙍𝙎𝙏 postseason victory since 2021! 😱
📊 https://t.co/fsENQK8ENn // #USLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/iEuTbF3VXe
— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) November 2, 2024
Knoxville clawed back early in the second half, creating several dangerous chances in the opening minutes. Their persistence paid off in the 57th minute, as Angelo Kelly-Rosales skillfully maneuvered past Polak, drawing a foul in the box. The referee awarded a penalty, which Knoxville seized to equalize the game at 1-1. Knoxville’s confidence grew as they searched for a lead, but Greenville’s defense, backed by a disciplined midfield, managed to absorb the pressure and keep their composure as time wound down.
We move on to semifinals next weekend! 🟢
All eyes are on the Union Omaha v Richmond game tomorrow at 3:30 to see who our next opponent will be! pic.twitter.com/9TZj5ZeqNz— Greenville Triumph SC (@GVLTriumph) November 2, 2024
The decisive moment came in the 80th minute when Leo Castro broke free and was brought down by Knoxville’s goalkeeper, Sean Lewis, resulting in a penalty. In a highly anticipated showdown between Greenville’s Golden Boot winner Lyam MacKinnon and Knoxville’s Golden Glove recipient Lewis, MacKinnon kept his cool and buried the penalty kick, restoring Greenville’s lead at 2-1. Triumph held their ground in the final minutes, securing a victory that propelled them into the semifinals for a fifth time. Now, all eyes turn to tomorrow’s showdown between Union Omaha and Richmond at 3:30 PM EST, which will determine Greenville’s opponent in the semifinals.
Courtesy: greenvilletriumph.com
